How to spot a back hip circle

[mapstangelo]

My daughter (six and a half) and I are headed to open gym tomorrow afternoon and I'd like her to work on her back hip circle (she almost has it all by herself) I am looking for some tips on how to properly spot her. The gym we are going to has parents supervise gymnasts (i know not the greatest) but I feel comfortable enough with her on bars to spot her I just don't know where the best spot to place my hands are.

You can't beat $6 for an hour in the gym to practice skills Only skills she has herself and doesn't need a spot for

 

[ryantroop]

Initially, I gave an example.. but on the off chance something bad happens, I don't want to be responsible.

Get a coach who knows how to spot to help you.

I know it sounds silly for a skill like a back hip circle, but remember skill ability is completely relative. It may look easy from the outside, but it's difficult to be the one doing it, both for a new spotter and a new gymnast.

If you want to spot her, get a coach in the gym to show you what to do, and then proceed from there. Words will never replace experience.

 

[gymnut1]

I agree with the above - different coaches spot in different ways. I spot a bhc very different to my head coach as he is much taller than me. I think I just watched other people and then had a go with my head coach standing next to me. I do think it is a weird idea having parents spot????? But Hey ho.

Im sure a coach at your gym will take a couple of seconds to show you where to put your hands. It is a fairly simple move to do but your arms can get all twisted up spotting if you aren't careful.

 

[bogwoppit]

Ooh that skill looks easy, but it's not. She could end up smashing herself on the bar if you spot badly. I would suggesst following her whilst she does skills she already has, this way she can have fun and reinforce the skills. Spotting also requires that you understand the desired shape of the skill and how to help end up with that.

How can a gym allow that, here is a coach does have the L1 coaching they cannot touch a gymnast. The insurance would leave them high and dry if a gymnasts was severly hurt.

 

[mapstangelo]

Thank you all for your comments. This isn't our normal gym - our gym doesn't offer open gym I can certainly understand the reason not to (liability). It's just nice to get my daughter in the gym for another hour a week to practice (especially beam) since we can't practice that at home

Thanks again.
Michelle

 

[gymdog]

Well, if you mean she can get around but can't pick her head up at the end, then she should just practice it. Or do pullovers. They need to do a lot of pullovers and sometimes in a bar workout there's not time to do as many as would be ideal. If she can do a "kickover" then she can try doing it with both legs together.

A lot of times younger kids have trouble picking their head up at the end if they still have that little kid bobblehead thing going on - the head is heavier relative to the body and the head, neck and shoulders aren't as strong. It's not uncommon. By 6.5 this should be less of a problem but it can still be somewhat of a factor.